Program :: G. Thornsten Prehn and Phil Austin /Thematic Session II
Telecommunications Infrastructure Roundtable

Accelerated Telecommunication Infrastructure
Development - an Opportunity for South East Europe

Hughes Network Systems (HNS), a leading provider of satellite and wireless communications equipment and services for businesses and consumers. HNS Europe VSAT Control Centre (VCC) in Germany is utilised as the 'Command and Control Centre' for all its networks. HNSE has built up a multinational team at the VCC and is able to provide customer support services in multiple European languages. In total the HNSE is servicing over 16,000 VSAT's.

HNSE Broadband Internet Access Service is a flat-rate service offering that provides scalable, broadband access to the Internet. Differing grades of service are offered to allow users to reach required performance at an attractive price and to allow flexibility to change the Grade of Service (GoS) in case of different end user needs. Features of the service are:

• Always-on 2 way Internet Access, facilitating e-business applications.
• Broadband asymmetric connection optimised for browsing, e-mail and FTP. Supports all types of IP traffic (some applications may require special arrangement).
• Multiple grades of service (GOS) Scalable up to 256 kbps upstream / 2Mbps downstream burst rate/site.
• Multiple terminal platforms which provide USB or LAN connections
• Available now with rapid deployment across Europe, Middle East and Northern Africa
• Completely satellite based so no holes in coverage due to geographic investment issues.
• Proven technology in North America and Europe.

The DIRECWAY® Multimedia Network TM (DMN), is a highly advanced Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite transmission system that provides data, and video communications. The system is capable of supporting interactive, batch, and Local Area Network (LAN) traffic between a Hub station or NOC (Network Operation Centre) and virtual unlimited remotes stations (also called VSAT), as shown below.

The DMN Network, which can operate as a private network, is operated by HNS for Internet services as a shared hub, offering a wholesale service. The DMN is a star network with a single hub supporting many remote stations. This asymmetry extends to the links between the hub and VSAT.

HNSE's services are contended - in line with many other broadband Internet access services the user share bandwidth to keep the realistic prices. Contention similar services, e.g., ISDN, ADSL or cable modems, are based on a two or three-level contention concept that determines the overall performance of a single user. The HNS satellite technology and service control allows the definition of a statistically based user performance, and an average level of traffic to an individual user. All users at a site will receive the same Grades of Service (GoS). However, sites can change their GoS over time as their needs for bandwidth and performance change.